Ending the School Year Strong

HOW TO FINISH THE SCHOOL YEAR AND GET STUDENTS EXCITED FOR NEXT YEAR

The end of the year is the perfect opportunity to reflect, celebrate, and plant the seeds for what’s next. So how do we wrap up the year in a way that keeps students engaged and builds excitement for what’s ahead?

Here are the most important elements of a successful end-of-year plan:

• It gives students a chance to show off what they’ve learned in a meaningful way

• It includes ALL students—yes, even the quiet ones

• It connects to real-world language use or culture

• It sets the tone for what’s coming next (and gets them curious!)

• It’s fun (because they’ll remember the feeling more than the worksheet)

A few ways to do it:

• Pass the Torch Projects – Have your current students create short videos or slides with tips, mini-lessons, or reasons to love Spanish for next year’s class. It’s reflective for them and inspiring for future students.

• Future You Letters – Students write a letter (in Spanish) to their future selves at the start of the next level—goals, advice, memories, and questions.

• “Why Learn Spanish?” Gallery Walk – Students create visual pieces (posters, comics, poems, memes) showing how Spanish matters in the real world. Then everyone walks around, votes on their favorite, and discusses the best ideas.

• Sneak Peek Activities – Give them a teaser of what’s coming next year. A song, a story, a sample project—just enough to make them say, “I can’t wait for Spanish next year.”

And here’s the key:Whatever you choose, make sure everyone is doing something. No passive observers. Even during presentations, give the audience a job—scoring a rubric, writing peer feedback, answering content questions, or summarizing what they hear.

When students leave your room excited, proud, and feeling like what they learned matters—that’s when you know you’ve nailed it.